John Washburn, owner and spirit behind Washburn Imports, has created that rarest of retail gems – a store so fascinating and constantly changing, that it is a pleasure to visit regularly, whether you end up buying something or not. If only to see the latest treasures he’s brought back from India, Thailand, China, Indonesia or other exotic locale. And treasures they are.

From a lounge chair naturally formed from a teak tree’s root system, to a dramatic four-poster bed made from carved columns John found standing like monuments in a field in the Indian countryside, each treasure is one-of-a-kind.

“What you see in here are one-of-a-kind works of art that a wood carver in Burma or a furniture maker in Thailand put all of himself into. I understand the commitment it takes, the organic nature of it all. I’m inspired by what they do – and so are my customers. It wasn’t always so.

“I never started out to do this, never considered it. I was in the restaurant business and I’m a musician as well. But in 1997 I had what you could call a life-changing event happen.

“I had a friend in Bali who talked me into trying my hand at selling a 40-ft. container full of furniture he was ready to send me. I agreed and when it arrived, opened my first shop next to Dexter’s in Winter Park on Fairbanks (this was the original location in 1989). The stuff sold like hotcakes.

“I now make about three trips a year to Indonesia, China, India, Thailand, Burma, Vietnam and more. I find what interests me, what I like and my customers seem to like the same things I do. I have two locations, Winter Park and Sanford. I get to travel to exotic locations and go shopping!”

The first time you walk through the door of Washburn Imports, be prepared to take your time and ‘walk the circuit.’ There are so many different things to look at, you’ll need to pass the same way several times to see it all. You may catch the ornate, hand-carved door that’s now a coffee table and the canoe-sized “grainer” made into a bar, but walk by a second or third time and that brilliant saffron yellow bureau will jump out at you and you’ll wonder how you ever missed that.

Doors are a particular favorite of John’s; they’re so unique and can be made into so many different pieces. “I found a place in India that is a solid acre of doors! All types, colors and carvings. I go through them one-at-a-time, choosing the ones I want.” That is one of the differences between Washburn Imports and other similar establishments in town. John hand-selects his merchandise, personally. He looks it over carefully before finally making any selection.

“I can’t explain why I choose what I do. There’s always something about a piece that gets me, the colors, what it’s used for, the story behind it. It’s never about the selling of it. If all I was interested in was selling, I’d buy up a bunch of leather couches and sell those. But leather’s not interesting.” Indeed, what seems most interesting to John, is wood. The look of it, the feel of the grain, the shapes it can take. A quick glance around the showroom and you’ll travel the globe by wood type, many you’ve never heard of: teak, sheesham wood, palm coconut, suar, meranti, Chinese elm, mango wood. The names are as exotic as the lands they come from.

Probably because of his creative background, John feels a certain empathy with the artists who work with the wood and whose work he most admires. He maintains relationships with those artists and their small family businesses all across the globe.

“There’s a wood carver in Indonesia, Dedy, for example. He does great work and I’ve known him and his family for years. He’s always one of my stops. But I never stop exploring, looking for new sources and new treasures.”

One trip, he brought back several 600-lb. Buddhas. Not to worry. “Everything sells eventually,” he says. One of his more unusual finds was an old Balinese fishing boat that had seen better days, perhaps better decades. “It certainly wasn’t seaworthy. But a customer bought it and now has it hanging outside on a wall of his patio.” How did he know? “I don’t know. I sell the inexplicable. Probably nothing you need – but certainly things you are going to want.”

His customers range from the pros – designers, decorators and builders who keep him as their own, well-guarded secret, to well-traveled and educated executives, to young people just starting out who appreciate something out of the ordinary. He also counts Disney and Kessler Hotels as some of his best clients.

“The thing is, though, we are not an expensive store. Indeed, a lot of people are surprised at how reasonable our prices are. I guarantee you will find something in our store, no matter what your budget might be.” John goes on to make the point, “We are not a museum.”

No, Washburn Imports is not a museum. But you may be tempted to draw that analogy. Walk through it and you’ll be transported to exotic lands and distant times. Every piece has a story behind it. Every piece is a work of art. And if you are so inclined, John Washburn or one of his sales people will be more than happy to give you a tour! Visit Washburn Imports at both showrooms or online at: WashburnImports.com.